Chapter 3
I stared at him blankly, trying to stay composed.
"Ethan, you're Jenny's fiancé now. Maybe keep some distance?"
"Lily!" He stepped closer. "I know nothing I say will make this right. I messed up. I'm sorry. But can we go somewhere and talk?"
What was there left to talk about now?
Nothing we said now could change what happened.
He really did propose to Jenny. He really acted like I never existed. And the pain he caused me was real.
It was all beyond fixing now.
I frowned and stepped back.
"There's nothing to talk about. Go find your fiancée and leave me alone."
With that, I walked past him.
Suddenly, Ethan grabbed my arm, his grip tight and desperate.
"Lily, you have to come with me. I need to talk to you—now!"
Before I could respond, someone charged over. While Ethan still had my arm, she moved so fast I barely saw it coming—a vicious slap landed across my face.
The impact left me dizzy, my vision blurring as I nearly fell.
Jenny's furious voice exploded in my ears.
"Lily! I actually thought you were my best friend—how stupid was I! I can't believe you'd be so disgusting!
"You stood there and watched Ethan propose to me! As my best friend, you couldn't even congratulate me, and now you're pawing at my fiancé right in front of me? How can you be so shameless? How could you betray me like this?"
Ethan yanked her hand away, his voice low and sharp. "Enough, Jenny! Are you trying to cause an even bigger scene?
"Have you lost your mind? How could you just hit Lily like that?
"Just shut up already!"
I pressed my hand to my cheek, fighting to stay upright.
This was just ridiculous.
I never imagined Jenny would say these things to me.
Jenny was my childhood friend. Her family struggled, and she never stood out in school. I always looked after her, doing whatever I could—I even helped her get a job at the company I worked for after I became a department manager.
She was always clinging to me, acting cute and dependent.
She'd said, "Lily, you're so good to me. I honestly don't know what I'd do without you.
"Lily, thank you for helping me get this job. You're the only one who ever really cared.
"Lily, I'm so jealous—you have such an amazing boyfriend. I wish I could find a guy like Ethan someday..."
But now, in front of everyone, she shouted "disgusting" and "shameless" at me.
I let out a bitter laugh. When I looked at Jenny again, my eyes were ice cold.
"Jenny, don't go too far. You know exactly what you've done. Don't make me say it."
Panic flickered across Jenny's face, but she still wouldn't back down.
"Lily, I know you outrank me, but don't think you can intimidate me!
"Ethan and I have been together for years—you can't tear us apart! You've always had a crush on him, and now that we're finally getting married, you're just jealous and trying to cause problems!
"You're shameless!"
Jenny's voice was shrill and piercing, her shouting so dramatic it instantly drew a crowd.
A minute ago, it was all about Ethan's big proposal, and now his fiancée had "caught" him with another woman. Naturally, everyone swarmed to support Jenny.
"I always thought Lily and Ethan had something going on, but I never imagined she'd actually be like this," someone whispered.
"No way, Ms. Carter wouldn't do that, right? She's beautiful and capable—why would she need to steal someone's boyfriend?"
"Some people are just born that way. She probably gets off on stealing her friend's man."
"That's so nasty..."
The room buzzed with judgmental gossip swirling around me.
Pale-faced, I locked eyes with Jenny as she pressed in relentlessly. For a split second, I was ready to blow everything up, even if it meant going down with them.
But just as I was about to lose control, a warm hand settled protectively on my shoulder.
I turned around—Ryan stood there, his expression ice cold.
Everyone, including me, gasped in shock.